Mike McDaniel has no problem being honest, and when asked about a report that said he stepped in to keep a veteran on his roster, the Dolphins coach appeared to confirm it.
McDaniel told reporters he threw an “adult temper tantrum” in front of general manager Chris Grier in order to keep defensive lineman Calais Campbell after the team received an offer for him ahead of the trade deadline.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport had reported that a deal had been in place to send the Dolphins lineman to the Ravens, but McDaniel nixed it.
“The offer for compensation for his services was real,” McDaniel said, according to Pro Football Network. “And I think it wasn’t like it was Chris versus me. … [We] work together and yeah, I may or may not have thrown an adult temper tantrum.
“That’s the tricky thing about Chris’ job. He has to look long-term and short-term at the same time with the best interests of the organization. We rely on each other for things that I need to be on top of and one is the locker room, and what one individual does for the entire team.”
The move would have surely sent signals that the Dolphins were throwing in the towel on the season after falling to 2-6 at that point.
However, things have turned around since then with Miami clawing its way back into the playoff discussion.
The Dolphins have won three straight games since the NFL trade deadline, with wins over the Rams, Raiders and Sunday’s 34-15 romp over Patriots.
Campbell has had two sacks over the past three games.
“My job is to speak on behalf of what’s the best thing for the 2024 Dolphins,” McDaniel said. “I’m just fortunate to work in an organization where myself and the GM can just be transparent and work together. He didn’t want to see any more adult temper tantrums.”